Delmer Sherburne Peterkin, aged 90, died Thursday, January 30 at his home in Georgetown, Ohio. Over his many years he worked as a material expediter for Arthur G. McKee, was a real estate broker, managing the Avon Lake office of Realty One and, after he retired, worked at the Georgetown McDonalds for twelve years. After retiring again, he provided care for his handicapped grandson for several years. He lived in Avon Lake, Ohio, for 43 years before moving to Brown County in 1992.
Mr. Peterkin was born on February 26, 1929, in Montreal, Canada. He emigrated to Lakewood, Ohio, in 1946 where he married the girl five doors down, his beloved wife Patricia (Cahoon) Peterkin on June 24, 1950. He was preceded in death by his parents W. Norman and Fairfax (Sherburne) Peterkin, his wife Patricia, his brothers Sumner and Clare and by his sister Margaret (Hendrick) Wanless. He is survived by his daughters Pamela (Ron) Sebastian and Cynthia (Darwin) Church both of Georgetown, Ohio, Suzanne (Thomas) Semones of Kettering, Ohio, and sons Kenneth (Suzanne Personette) Peterkin of Essex, Connecticut, and Bengt (Lena) Ekman of Goteborg, Sweden; nine grandchildren: Nicholas (Christina) Sebastian, Abigail (Matthew) Cain, Brian Church, Gregory Church, Molly (SR Tilton) Semones, Catherine (Kelly) Fitzpatrick, Abraham Peterkin, Emelie Ekman, and Linnea Ekman, three great-grandchildren Elsie, Emlyn, and Frans, his sister Rilma Duval, and many nieces and nephews.
Mr. Peterkin attended St. Lambert High School where he was a track star and played and coached both football and hockey.
Mr. Peterkin was a man of compassion, high ethical standards, and lived a life of service. He was a member and chief of the Avon Lake Indian Guides Creek Tribe. He served as the district president, regional advisor and on the Executive board of the Ohio PTA. He served as the President of the Avon Lake Band Aids. He was an avid Kiwanian who had perfect attendance for 35 years. He was president of the Avon Lake Kiwanis club and secretary treasurer of the Russellville, Ohio, club. He also served as the Lt. Governor of Lorain County and was a regional advisor and member of the executive board of Ohio Kiwanis. He supervised the Salvation Army Kettle Program for Lorain and Brown Counties, ringing bells at Christmas for 35 years.
Mr. Peterkin was a long-time member of the Avon Lake United Church of Christ, serving on council in many positions. He cooked breakfast every Friday for their Men’s Club, organized and drove a bus taking seniors on trips to mystery destinations, and organized a weekly outreach to children at an inner-city church in West Cleveland.
Mr. Peterkin was a skilled and avid gardener, and he and his wife Pat enjoyed canoeing in many lakes and rivers across Ohio. He was a member of the Brown County Senior Citizen Club and enjoyed eating lunch at the Georgetown Senior Nutrition Center.
Visitation will be held Saturday, February 15, 2020 from 11:00 AM-1:00 PM at the Georgetown Church of the Nazarene 4884 St. Rt. 125, Georgetown, Ohio. The family will be holding a private service at a later date. The McIntyre Funeral home of Felicity, Ohio, is serving the family.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Hope who greatly aided the family to allow Del to pass in the comfort of his own home or to the Kiwanischildrensfund.org.
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